Audio output balancing

• US 9,369,104 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2015
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramos, Aurelio Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US14/937,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20160072468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 217 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/001 Digital control of analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/002 in untuned or low-frequency amplifiers, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G7/007, H03G7/001, H03G7/008, H03G7/02, H03G7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 11/00 Transducers of moving-armature or moving-core type acoustic diaphragm of magnetisable material directly coacting with electromagnet H04R13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/03 Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/14 Cross-over networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/007 in which the audio signals are in digital form data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/01 Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/308 Electronic adaptation dependent on speaker or headphone connection

Abstract

An example implementation involves a first playback device receiving a first audio signal comprising content in a first frequency range to be played by the first playback device. The first playback device determines a first limiting result that represents playback of a second audio signal by a second playback device by applying, to the second audio signal, a pre-determined volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device, the second audio signal comprising content in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range. The first playback device determines another volume-limiting function based on the first limiting result and applies the determined volume-limiting function to the first audio signal to scale a playback volume of the first audio signal.

Claims

1. A first playback device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first playback device to perform a method comprising;

receiving, via the network interface, a first audio signal comprising content in a first frequency range to be played by the first playback device;

determining a first limiting result that represents playback of a second audio signal by a second playback device by applying, to the second audio signal, a pre-determined volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device, the second audio signal comprising content in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range;

determining another volume-limiting function based on the first limiting result; and

applying the determined volume-limiting function to the first audio signal to scale a playback volume of the first audio signal.

2. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first audio signal and second audio signal are first and second audio components, respectively, of an audio content.

3. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first playback device is configured to play the first audio signal in synchrony with a playback of the second audio signal by the second playback device.

4. The first playback device of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving from the second playback device, the first audio signal.

5. The first playback device of claim 1, the method further comprising:

sending to the second playback device, the second audio signal.

6. The first playback device of claim 1, the method further comprising:

before determining the first limiting result, receiving the pre-determined volume-limiting function associated with the second playback device.

7. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first frequency range includes approximately 20 Hz to 80 Hz, and the second frequency range includes approximately 80 Hz to 20 kHz.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, via a first playback device, a first audio signal comprising content in a first frequency range to be played by the first playback device;

determining, by the first playback device, a first limiting result that represents playback of a second audio signal by a second playback device by applying, to the second audio signal, a pre-determined volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device, the second audio signal comprising content in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range;

determining, by the first playback device, another volume-limiting function based on the first limiting result; and

applying, by the first playback device, the determined volume-limiting function to the first audio signal to scale a playback volume of the first audio signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first audio signal and second audio signal are first and second audio components, respectively, of an audio content.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first playback device is configured to play the first audio signal in synchrony with a playback of the second audio signal by the second playback device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, by the first playback device from the second playback device, the first audio signal.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending, by the first playback device to the second playback device, the second audio signal.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

before determining the first limiting result, receiving by the first playback device, the pre-determined volume-limiting function associated with the second playback device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first frequency range includes approximately 20 Hz to 80 Hz, and the second frequency range includes approximately 80 Hz to 20 kHz.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a first playback device to perform functions comprising:

receiving a first audio signal comprising content in a first frequency range to be played by the first playback device;

determining a first limiting result that represents playback of a second audio signal by a second playback device by applying, to the second audio signal, a pre-determined volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device, the second audio signal comprising content in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range;

determining another volume-limiting function based on the first limiting result; and

applying the determined volume-limiting function to the first audio signal to scale a playback volume of the first audio signal.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first audio signal and second audio signal are first and second audio components, respectively, of an audio content.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first playback device is configured to play the first audio signal in synchrony with a playback of the second audio signal by the second playback device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving from the second playback device, the first audio signal.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

sending to the second playback device, the second audio signal.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

before determining the first limiting result, receiving the pre-determined volume-limiting function associated with the second playback device.